1st Major Winter Storm of the Season May Arrive Next Week

November gales may scream once more across areas of the country's middle on the historic Edmund Fitzgerald wreck anniversary.

Next week, a big storm will hit the Plains, Midwest, and western Great Lakes, bringing high winds, heavy snow, and severe thunderstorms.

"Low pressure is expected to develop over the central Plains during the middle of next week, before quickly strengthening and cutting northeastward toward the northern Great Lakes and Upper Midwest, in an eerily similar fashion to that famous storm in 1975," said Meteorologist Alyson Hoegg.

Developing November Gales

In the Upper Midwest, the phrase "November gales" existed for a purpose. Colder air plunges south into the United States more regularly during the fall months, colliding with lingering warmth to the south. The clash frequently ushers in the season's first major wintry storms, which can deliver strong winds. According to experts, that is exactly what will happen next week.

As powerful winds form around the storm, the storm's worst effects are predicted to begin on Wednesday. At the same time, heavy rain will fall on the storm's northern flank. On the storm's warmer side, severe thunderstorms might erupt farther south. Finally, from Wednesday night to Friday, the storm will tap into cold air over Canada, pulling it southward and causing precipitation to turn over to heavy snow for some.

Strong Winds

Winds will be out of the southeast of the storm track, at least at first, pulling warm air northward into sections of Missouri and Iowa and eastward into the Ohio Valley and western Great Lakes. As a result, temperatures in the region, including St. Louis, can reach the high 60s and lower to medium 70s. On November 11th, the average high temperature in St. Louis was 57 degrees Fahrenheit. However, while the nice weather may tempt you to venture outside, the strong winds might derail your plans, threatening to toss unsecured things and generate deadly crosswinds for high-profile cars.

"Very high winds will develop over the western Great Lakes," Hoegg said, adding that the warmup's duration and scope will be restricted in that area. However, regardless of the temperature, Hoegg cautioned that winds would be particularly high over the western Great Lakes' south and east beaches, perhaps causing severe waves and coastal flooding.

Gusty north to northwesterly winds will pick up on the storm's western flank, bringing colder air southward into the Plains. While the mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valley enjoy well-above-average warmth for mid-November, temperatures across the northern and central Plains will dip into the 50s and 40s F by nightfall and even into the 30s. Temperatures will plunge even further when paired with the gusty gusts, giving the air an added sting. The slamming temperatures on the storm's western edge will gradually turn to snow, with some heavy snowfall expected in certain areas.

Snow

Rain will turn to snow throughout the northern Plains and Upper Midwest as the storm intensifies Wednesday night into Thursday. From Wednesday night through Friday, several areas from the Dakotas and Nebraska to Minnesota and Wisconsin and western Ontario may likely receive snow. The storm's path will decide where the highest snowfall totals occur.

"By the end of the week, the storm will be slowing and maybe stalling over the northern Great Lakes," Hoegg said. "Snow might persist throughout sections of the area into Friday due to the storm's delayed movement."

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Tags snow, winter, Cold, Weather